Ashley Judd was under a microscope during a 90-minute appearance at a George Washington University student forum, ostensibly to speak about public health but, for all practical purposes, to continue establishing herself as a serious candidate to challenge Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell next year in Kentucky.

Although she never addressed this directly, she did respond to one student's question about her run for office with: "Is there an elephant in the room?"

Judd has kept things low-key as the rumors surrounding her run heat up, abstaining from TV or print interviews. Naturally, both liberals and conservatives alike are skeptical of whether her bid for Senate is a good idea; Dems think she can't win, Republicans consistently try to poke holes in her agenda. This time, they've already excerpted clips of some celebrity-isms scattered in her speech that supposedly betray her eight-generation Kentucky roots. For example, above, she says that her family "winters in Scotland." RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE.